The weather in January

It was the warmest January for four years, and a rather dry and sunny month, except in Northern Ireland and western and northern Scotland. Westerly winds carried over from December into early January, and the first five days were particularly windy with a severe gale in the north on 3 January. However, it was generally not as stormy as December, and high pressure dominated mid month before westerlies returned after 17 January, then a very cold easterly flow greeted the last few days of the month.

Temperatures

The mean maximum temperature in January ranged from 10.8C at St Mary's, Isles of Scilly, to 4.4C at both Dalwhinnie, Inverness-shire, and Braemar, Aberdeenshire. The Central England Temperature (CET) of 5.7C was 1.3C above the long-term mean, making it the warmest January since 2008. There have been only 14 warmer Januaries in the past century. The highest individual temperature was 13.9C at Exeter airport in Devon on 18 January, while the coldest night was recorded early on 16 January at Aboyne, Aberdeenshire, with a temperature of -10.9C.

Rainfall

Averaged across England and Wales there was only 66mm of rain through January, which is 73% of the climatic average, the lowest for January since 2006. Scotland was wetter than normal with 113mm, which is 122% of average, while Northern Ireland had 83mm, exactly on its average. The wettest location, as in December, was Cluanie Inn, Wester Ross, where 465mm fell. Loftus, Cleveland, was the driest place in December and was so again in January, with a rainfall total of only 19mm.

Sunshine

England and Wales had an average 73 hours of sunshine, which is 118% of the mean, making it the sunniest January for nine years. Only seven Januaries in the last 100 years were sunnier. Scotland had 54 hours, or 112% of its average, while Northern Ireland recorded an averaged 52 hours of sun, which is 97% of the average. Boulmer in Northumberland and Durham, Co Durham, had the equal highest sunshine total with 89 hours, while Lerwick, Shetland, had the lowest, recording only 22 hours.

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